Flying machine



Hpm

Junel 22 ,251926. 1,589,723

F'. SKROBCK FLYING` MACHINE Filed May 8, 1925 '244. AERONAUTIGS Patented June 22, 1926,

UNITED STATES FRANK E. SKROBACK, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

FLYING- MACHINE.

Application filed May 8,

This invention relates to flying machines, particularly flying machines having front` rear and intermediate planes or groups of planes arranged in tandem, and proportionally spaced on a frame or fuselage, and has for its object a particularly simple and efficient means for automatically adjusting' the angles of incidence of all the planes and hence equalize the lifting power of all the planes collectively and for automatically varying the angles of the planes or groups relatively to other groups and also manually operable to shift the center of flying gravity of the machine to conform to the position of the load, and means manually operable to simultaneously increase or decrease the angles of all planes for ascending and descending and to maintain the machine level during flight. Other objects appear throughout the specification.

This invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly broken away of an aeroplane embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view of the controlling windlass.

This flying machine comprises generally a frame, front, rear and intermediate planes or groups of planes arranged in tandem, each plane being pivoted to the frame to tilt about an axis extending lengthwise of the leading edge and forward of the center-ofpressure of the plane, equalizing means comprising connections between the planes to tilt them on their axes, to counteract them against each other to effect a relatively equal lifting pressure of all planes to the frame, whereby adverse air current shocks cause the planes to counteractingly tilt, that is, the force of the shock which tends to abnormally tilt the engaging planes, is transl ferred by connections to inversely tilt each successive group of planes, and as each successive group is affected the preceding and succeeding groups are inversely tilted to counteract the effect, so that the shock is evenly distributed to all the planes and the machine is maintained on an even keel, the equalizing connections having a self adjust- 1925. Serial' No. 28,775.

`ing action with the intermediate planes whereby the said planes are equally subject to the automatic equalizing means relative to all planes, means to differentiate the lift equalizing means whereby the front planes may be caused to equalize at a different ratio of lift than the rear and vice-versa, and have a graduating effect on the lift ratio of the intermediate planes, means: to readily vary the lift equalizing means as to simultaneously shift the initial angle of all planes in the same direction, and means to divide from center and proportionately lock the lift equalizing means whereby the initial angle of the forward planes can be readily varied independently of the rearward planes.

1 designates the frame which may be of any suitable form, size and construction.

2'and 3 designate front and rear planes or groups of planes and 4 and 5 intermediate planes or groups of planes. Although I have shown two planes as upper and lower planes in each group, each group may consist of but a single plane or more than two planes. Each -of the planes 2, 3, 4 or 5 is pivoted at its forward or leading edge at 6 to suitable supports or posts 7 forming part of the frame 1.

The equalizing means between the planes comprising levers 8, 9, 10 and 11, one lever for each group of planes 2, 3, 4 and 5, each lever being pivoted at 12 to the frame, and a cable 13 normally held from movement relatively to the levers 8, 9 for the front and rear planes 2 and 3, and passing over pulleys on the frame and on the levers 10 and 11, for the intermediate planes. This cable 13 is here shown as anchored at 14 at its rear end to the lever 9 for the rear planes 8, and as passing downwardly around a pulley 15 carried by the frame 1, then forwardly around a similar pulley 16 on the frame, upwardly over a pulley 17 at the free rear end of the lever 11 for the planes 5, then forwardly over a pulley 18 at the free or front end of the lever 10 for the planes 4, downwardly around a pulley 19 on the frame, then forwardly around a pulley 2O on the frame, and then upwardly around the pulley 21 on the free or rear end of the front lever 8. The cable then passes forwardly over va pulley 22 on the frame then upwardly and rearwardly over a pulley 23 and then winds on a winding drum 24. This winding drum constitutes means for shifting all planes about their axes to vary the initial angle to the planes in the same direction.

Normally when the drum is held from movement, the cable 13 is in effect held from movement relatively to the levers 8 and 9.

Each of the levers 8, 9, 10 and 1l is connected to a group of planes by connecting members as vertical extending links 25, 26, 27 and 28, each pivoted at its lower end to the lower plane 2, 3, 4, 5 and pivotally connected at its upper end to the lever 8.` 9, 10 or 11. The members or link 25 or 26 associated with the front or rear planes 2 or 3 is connected to the lever 8 or 9 by a sliding connection which permits it to be shifted toward and from the axis of the levers 8 or 9 to increase or decrease the effective leverage of the lever on the planes or the planes on the lever.

The connections between the links 25 and 26 and the levers 8, 9 is a sliding connection, these levers being formed with radial shoes 30 and 31 in which the upper ends of the levers or links 25 and 26 slide. The levers 8, 9 are reversely arranged and when the link 25 is operated to shift its point of connection toward the axis of the lever 8, the link 26 is operated to shift its point of connection away from the axis of the lever 9. The links 25 and 26 are connected by links 32 and 33 to the lower arm of an operating lever 34 pivoted between its ends to the frame and having a handle 35 at its upper end, this operating lever being provided with a suitable grip lever, not shown, coacting with the rack 36 on the frame to hold the lever in its adjusted position. Movement of the handle 35 of the lever rearwardly obviously will shift the link 25 toward the axis of the equaliZing lever 8 for the front plane 2 and thus decreases the leverage of the front planes 2 on the levers 8 and 9 and such movement of the handle 35 will move the link 26 forwardly away from the axis of the lever 9 for the rear planes 3 thus increasing the leverage of the rear lever 9. The lever 34 constitutes means for shifting the center of flying gravity. Thus the effect of upward tilting of the planes 2 by the pressure of the air thereon, is transmitted with varying effects determined by the operator, to the rear planes and hence to the intermediate planes 4, 5.

Any shifting of the front planes 2 upwardly or downwardly by the air pressure is transmitted inversely to the intermediate planes and the rear planes through the equalizing cable 13 to move the same inversely downwardly or upwardly. The self-adjusting movement on the intermediate planes 4, 5 is effected by the fact that the cable slips or rolls over the pulleys 17 and 18 on the levers 10 and 11 of the intermediate planes 4, 5. This slipping movement of the cable regulates the amount of relative movement of the planes 4, 5 with respect to the front and rear planes 2 and 3.

The drum 24 is provided with a suitable handle 37 by which it is operated and it is normally held from turning by any suitable means as a brake band 38 normally engaged therewith and released to permit turning of the drum by the depressingl of a suitable pedal 39 connected to the brake band in any suitable manner.

40 is a slack cable winding at one end on the drum 24 in a direction opposite to that of the cable 13 and passing over pulleys 4l and 42 fixed to the frame near the rear end thereof and over a pulley 43 fixed to the front end of the rear lever 9, then upwardly and forwardly over pulley 44 and 45 on the frame, downwardly over a pulley 46 at the rear or free end of. the lever 11, forwardly around a similar pulley 47 at the front or free end of the lever 10, then upwardly over pulley 48 carried by the frame, thence forwardly over a pulley 49 carried by the frame, then downwardly to the front lever 8 to which it is anchored at 50. A suitable slack absorbing spring 51 is connected at any point in this slack cable 40.

This slack cable is normally arranged opposite to the equalizing cable 31 and is effective to the planes only when the machine turns over on its back, in which case the operating` effect of this cable is the same as the equalizing cable 31, which then becomes a slack cable until the machine is again in an upright or normal position.

Means is provided for dividing and proportionately locking the equalizing means on some of the planes and this means acts to anchor the cable 13 to the frame between the front and rear planes and thus separate the forward planes from the relative equalizing action with the rearward planes.

As here shown this locking means consists of a lever 52 arranged to grip the cable or press the cable 13 against or between two pins 53 or a suitable gripping means on the frame and thus hold the cable from slipping or traveling movement, and the cable being held from traveling movement all planes to the rear of the holding lever 52 will be independent from the relative equalizing action of the frontplanes. This lock lever 52 is operated by a suitable lever 54 which is connected to the lever 52 by a link 55, the lever 54 is provided with a suitable grip lock eoacting with the rack on the frame, not shown, to hold the lever 54 in its adjusted position.

The machine is provided with suitable land carriages which will partake of the shock absorbing and equalizing features of the equalizing system. These carriages comprise front and rear wheels 56 and 57 6^"244. AtHUNAU I IGS having their axles mounted on forwardly and rearwardly skidlike spring supports 57, the front end of each support being pivoted at 58 at its front end to one plane in the rear of the pivot 6 of such plane and each support having a sliding connection with the next plane in the rear. These carriages are mounted so that they bear on the planes at or near the normal center or pressure point of the planes in a manner that will not hinder the tilting motion of the planes. The rear wheels may be provided with brakes and the front wheels may be. provided with suitable steering mechanism.

The machine in addition is provided with the usual tail unit comprising elevating plane, fins and rudders and with a motor and propeller not shown, the latter being placed at the front end of the frame.

In operation, the planes are set at any desired initial angle to suit the loa-d and air conditions by turning the drum 24k. In case the load conditions are such that one end of the machine as the front end is in effect heavier than the rear end, the lever 35 can be operated to change the leverage of the front lever 8 to decrease such leverage and automatically increase the leverage of the lever 9 on the rear plane, thus a differential equalizing action is provided for between the front and rear planes and in proportion between the front plane and the intermediate planes, whereby the center-of-flyinggravity of the machine may be shifted to conform with the load placed thereon.

What I claim is 1. In combination in a flying machine, a frame, front and rear and intermediate` planes arranged in tandem, each plane bemg pivoted to the frame to tilt about an axis lengthwise of the leading edge of the plane, equalizing means between the planes to counteractingly tilt them on their axes, such equalizing means including selfadjusting equalizing connections with the intermediate plane.

2. In combination in a flying machine, a frame, front and rear and intermediate planes arranged in tandem, each plane being pivoted to the frme to tilt about an axis lengthwise of the leading edge of the plane, equalizing means between the planes to counteractingly tilt them on their axes, such equalizing means having a sliding equalizing connection with the intermediate planes, and means for varying the ratio of the equalizing action between the front and the intermediate and the rear planes, to shift the center of flying gravity.

3. In combination in a flying machine, a frame, front and rear and intermediate planes arranged in tandem, each plane being pivoted to the frame to tilt about an axis lengthwise of the leading edge of the plane, equalizing means between the planes to counteractingly -tilt them on their axes, such equalizing means having a sliding equalizing connection with the intermediate planes, and means for operating the equalizing means to shift the planes about their axes in the same direction to vary the initial angles of the planes.

4. In combination in a flying machine, a frame, front and rear and intermediate planes arranged in tandem, each plane being pivoted to the frame to tilt about an axis lengthwise of the leading edge of the plane, equalizing means between the planes to counteractingly tilt them on their axes, such equalizing means having a sliding equalizing connection with the intermediate planes and means for operating the equalizing means to shift the planes about their axes to vary the initial angles of the pla-nes and means for varying the ratio of the equalizing action between the planes.

5. The ying machine of claim l in which the equalizing means comprise levers, one for each group of planes, a cable normally held from movement relatively to the levers for the front and rear planes and passing over pulleys on the levers for the intermediate planes and over pulleys fixed to the frame.

6. The flying machine of claim l in which the equa-lizing means comprise levers, one for each group of planes, a cable normally held from movement relatively to the levers for the front and rear planes and passing over pulleys on the levers for the intermediate planes and over pulleys fixed to the frame and a manually operable winding drum or its equivalent carried by the frame and on which one end of the cable winds, the drum having means for normally holding the drum from turning movement.

7. The flying machine of .claim l in which the equalizing means comprise levers, one for` each group of planes, a cable normally held from movement relatively to the levers for the front and rear planes and passing over pulleys on the levers for the intermediate planes and over pulleys iixed to the frame and means which when operated anchors the cable to the frame at a point between the front and rear planes, whereby when such holding means is operated, the equalizing means is divided and rendered ineffective to effect a relative equalizing movement between the front and rear planes.

8. The combination of claim 1 which in the equalizing means comprise levers, one for each group of planes, a cable normally held from movement relatively to the levers for the intermediate planes and over pulleys fixed to the frame, a manually operable Winding drum or its equivalent carried by the frame on whichiI one end of the cable winds, the drum having means for normally holding it from turning movement, and means for holding theequalizing cable to anchor it to the frame at a point between the front and rear planes, whereby the winding drum is rendered ineffective on some of the planes when the holding means is operated.

9. The iying machine of claim 2 in which means for varying the ratio of the equalizing action comprises a lever individual to each group of planes, each lever for the front and rear planes being connected to its companion plane by a connection shiitable toward and from the axis of the lever tovary the leverage thereof and operating means connected to said connecting members for the front and rear planes.

10. The flying machine of claim 4 in which the equalizing connections comprise levers, one for each group ot' planes', a cable held from movement relatively to the levers for the front and rear planes and passing over pulleys in the levers tor the intermediate planes and over pulleys fixed to the frame, a manually operable winding drum or its equivalent on which one end of the cable winds in one direction, the other end of the cable being anchored to the rear lever, a

slack cable winding on the drim in the opposite direction and passing over pulleys on the frame and on the levers and being anchored at its opposite end to the front lever; and in which the means for varying the ratio of the equalizing action between the planes comprises members connecting said levers and to planes respectively, the connecting members associated with the front and rear planes and being shiftable toward and from the axes of such levers and operating means for shifting said members.

l1. The flying machine of claim 4, comprising land carriages flexibly connected to the planes substantially at the center of pressure points of the front and intermediate planes and of the intermediate and rear planes whereby the landcarriages partake of the action of the equalizing means.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, this 2nd day of May, 1925.

FRANK E. SKROBACK. 

